"Illinois State Gazetteer and Business directory, for the years 1864-65" J. C. W. Bailey, publisher, Chicago
Was organized from Bond, Edwards, Crawford and Clark, in 1821, embracing at that time a wide extent of territory, but has since been divided into several counties. It is situated in the southern interior of the State, and contains fourteen organized townships, viz : Avena, Bowling Green, Hurricane, Kaskaskia, LaClede, London, Otego, Ramsey, Sefton, Seminary, Sharon, Vandalia, Wheatland and Wilberton, containing in 1860 a population of 11,189. The Kaskaskia River flows in a south-westerly direction through the entire county. The surface is also drained by Hurricane Fork, Big Hickory and several other creeks. There is an abundance of excellent, timber land in this county, especially along the banks of the Kaskaskia River and Hurricane Fork, and this in addition to the good water power of the several streams makes it a first- rate locality for manufacturing establishments. There are several small lakes in the interior and western portion of the county. In 1861 the products were 254,590 bushels of wheat, and 1,817,640 bushels of corn. There were also in the county 5,198 horses, 14,793 cattle, 10,077 sheep, and 28,844 swine. In 1862 there were 4,803 persons between the ages of five and twenty-one. Scholars, 4,600. The number of male teachers was 90, female, 47 Average number of months school was kept, 6.5. Total amount expended for all school purposes, $12,916. The assessed value of personal property and real estate in 1863 was $2,003,781. Estimated true value, $4,441,525. (See Vandalia.) Bowling Green, A township and post village in Fayette county, about eight miles east of Ramsey, and 225 miles from Chicago, via the Illinois Central, and St. Louis, Alton and Chicago Railroads. Cumberland, A postoffice in Otego township, Fayette county. Farina, A small post village of Fayette county, on the Chicago branch I. C. R. R., 223 miles from Chicago. It is situated on a well watered, rolling prairie, soil loamy, and land ranges in value from $6,00 to $20,00 per acre. Population 75. Postmaster, Wm. L. Arnold. Professions, Trades, etc. Austin Richard W., blacksmith. Bodwell & Arnold. (B. H. B. and Wm. L. A.,) harnessmakers and general store. Clark George W., carpenter. Coones N., general store. Renner Joseph, hotel propr. Royce L. William, carpenter. Greenland, A post village in the township of Loudon, and north-east corner of Fayette County, about 218 miles from Chicago, via Effinghain and the Chicago Branch of the Illinois Central Railroad. Hickory Creek, A small post village in Wheatland township, Fayette county, on the Illinois Central Railroad, 70 miles from St. Louis. It receives one mail per week, and contains two churches, German Reformed and Lutheran, also a Lodge of Good Templars. Population, 54. Postmaster, Isaac Zeigler. Professions, Trades, etc. Engle Enoch, physician. Fogler Samuel, flour mill. Gilpin William, (Rev.,) German Reformed. Hamilton Thomas M., machinist. Naylor Garret W., blacksmith. Zeigler Isaac, general store. Howard's Point, A post village in the township of Avena, in the eastern part of Fayette county, about 13 miles north-east of Vandalia. It has a semi-weekly mail. There is one church, Methodist. Population, 104. Postmaster, George W. Hollingsead. Professions, Trades, etc. Branon George W., (Rev.,) Methodist. Davis Isaac, saw mill. Finney T. D., physician. Hollingsead James, boot and shoemaker. Ludwick Henry, carpenter. McKenzie D. W., physician. Orvis Joseph, harness maker. Pinkley Joseph, blacksmith. Preston Stephen, general store. Rigdon T., lumber dealer. La Clede, A post village and township in the south-west corner of Fayette county, four miles south of Edgewood Station, on the Chicago Branch of the Illinois Central Railroad. Loudon City, A post village in the township of Loudon, in the central part of Fayette county, about 12 miles west by south from Ramsey station, on the Illinois Central Railroad. Prairie Mound, A postoffice in the township of Hurricane, and north-western part of Fayette county. Ramsey, A post town and township in Fayette county, on the Illinois Central R., 250 miles from Chicago via the above and the St. Louis, Alton & Chicago Railroads. It has two churches Baptist and Methodist. Population 200. Postmaster, C. B. Randall. Professions, Trades, etc. Blockburger Christian, harnessmkr. Blockburger Jack, propr. hotel. Casey Samuel, general store. Clark Sumner, physician. Dewey Seymour J., carpenter. Donaldson John T., general store. Draper James M., wagonmkr. Fuller W. N., saw mill. James & Little, (Joseph F. J. and William L.,) grocers. Jones John C., physician. McKnight Hugh B., mason. Marshall Joseph, carpenter. Myers Anderson, (Rev.,) Methodist. Owens Ambrose, (Rev.,) Methodist. Richardson Isaac, saw mill. Steinbaugh Adam, propr. hotel. Stoddark Luke, physician. Walsh Michael, general store. Williams David, hardware. Shabonier, A small post village of Kaskaskia township, Fayette county, seven miles south of Vandalia, on the main line of the Illinois Central Railroad. Vandalia, A village of Fayette county, of which it is the county seat, on the line of the I. C. R. R., 70 miles east from St. Louis. The place was laid off in 1819, and in the spring of 1820, before any actual settlement was made, the place was chosen as a location for the State capital, which was accordingly removed here in that year from Kaskaskia, and the village at once became a place of importance, and boasted a population of 2,000 souls. In 1839 the capital was removed to Springfield, and Vandalia rapidly declined until its population numbered less than 500, at which figure it remained for many years. It has recently, however, taken a fresh start, and now bids fair to become an important and thriving city. The location of the town is very beautiful, being upon rising ground, surrounded by wooded hills. The court house, formerly the State Capitol, is a tine structure of brick, 60 by 100 feet, and standing in the centre of a handsome square. The Kaskaskia river flows immediately in the rear of the town. The great National Road from Washington has its western terminus here. The city now contains a population of upwards of 2,000, and has four churches, an excellent graded school, a weekly Democratic newspaper, two flour mills, two carding mills, two breweries, a saw mill, iron foundry and machine shop, four hotels, and various professions and mechanical trades, for a full enumeration of which see the annexed. Professions, Trades, etc. Amsler John, boot and shoemkr. and dealer. Baker Elijah, harnessmkr. Barnett J., carpenter and builder. BASSETT G. W. & C. R., (George W. and Charles R.,) physicians. BLACKWELL ROBERT, general store. Boggs James A., carpenter and builder. Capps Benjamin, clothing, hats, caps, boots, shoes, and gents' furnishing goods. Capps Ebenezer, general store and grain dealer. Cater James, brickmkr. Champlin William Hotel. operator, I. C. R.R. Clary Patrick, saloon. Clough A. B., physician. Collins M. D., mason and builder. Cullity Dennis, saloon. Davis Charles, gunsmith. Dieckmann August H., general store. DIECKMANN & BRADLEY, (George H. D., and Francis B. B.,) general store. Dings Charles, barber. Durham B. B. H., saw mill. Fallin & Parker, (Henry C. F., and Martin V. B. P.,) groceries. Fayette Democrat, (weekly, dem.,) Charles G. Smith, ed. and propr. Fehren Matthias, general store. Fischler Edward, photographist. Fitch George R., lawyer. Fitzgerald Nicholas, county coroner. Fitzgerald & Bro., (Charles and Nicholas,) saloon. Foss Peter, harnessmkr. Fouke Jacob, lawyer and county judge. Fraser John, furniture mnfr and dealer. Fulton James H., county sheriff. Galligan Bernard, tailor. GERDES FREDERICK, watchmkr and jeweler. Goode S. S., lawyer. Greathouse Tevis, lawyer. Haller Francis B., physician. Hankins Hugh, saloon. Hankins William, circuit clerk. Hausmann Louis, propr. "Vandalia House." Heiz Andrew, boarding house. HENRY & ROSS, (Beverly W. H., and Joshua W. R.,) lawyers, land and war claim agts. Ienness Freeman, stoves and tinware, and mnfr of tin, copper, and sheet iron ware. Ireland Emanuel, county treasurer. Jackson George L., druggist and physician. Jenkins Ezra, propr. "Union House," and ins. agt. Jenks Charles W., county clerk. Jerauld Henry, iron foundry and machine shop. Johnson Duncan, flour mill. Joscelyn & Stokely, (Jackson J., and Oliver S.,) brickmakers. Kelly John, saloon. Kelly John & Co., (William Murray,) grocers, Lawson John B., blacksmith. Leidig George, general store. Lynch Michael, grain dealer. McCORD J. N. & BRO., (John N. and David C.,) druggists. McCurdy Nathaniel M., general store. Mitchell John F., propr. "Maddox House," and ins. agt. Palmer David, station agt. I. C. R. R., and agt. American Express. Perkins S. & Co., (Simeon P., and Lewis Davis,) tinware, stoves and hardware, also mnfrs. of tin, copper and sheet iron ware, Pfund John, bakery. Potter, Mrs. E. M., millinery. Ray James, meat market. Remann Frederick, general store. Ross Joshua W., justice of the peace. Russell John, cooper. Sapp Jacob, blacksmith. Schneider John J., shoemkr. Smith Charles G., ed. and propr. Democrat. Solomon Christian, furniture. Sonnemann Christian A., cabinetmkr. and lumber dealer. Stahl Charles, brewery and carding mill. Steinhouer Michael, blacksmith. Stolle James W., blacksmith. Sullivan John, saloon. Thees & Pihpow, (Christian T., and William P.,) coopers. TISDALE WALKER H., boots and shoes. Union House, E. Jenkins, propr. Vandalia House, L. Hauamann, propr. VanDorsten J. P., lawyer. Walker Louis, watchmkr. and jeweler. West Charles H., photographer. West Charles H. Mrs., milliner and dressmkr. WEST & CARY,(Augustin B. W., and Ogden C.,) flour mill and carding machine. Whiteman & Jerauld, (James M. W., and Gorton D. J.,) general store. WILLIAMS WILLIAM G., dentist. Wolf & Folz, (Mark W., and Louis F.,) dry goods, clothing, hats and caps, boots and shoes. Zimmerman Samuel, wagonmkr. Vera, A post office in Fayette county, on the I. C. R. R., about six miles north of Vandalia. |
